About.com Rating

What I'm For Bottom Line:

It's always nice when an artist releases an album that can both please his older fan base and gain some new ground as well, which is precisely what Pat Green has managed to do with What I'm For. The songs are varied in subject matter and tempo, which makes for a well-rounded album.

What I'm For - About Pat Green:

Pat Green's career began at the age of eighteen, when he first started writing songs during his time in college.

In a sign of the dedication and passion that would prevail throughout the years - he borrowed some money from his parents and recorded his very first album which was released in 1998. From then on it's only been getting better for the Texan. He's been around the music business for a while now, first starting out playing bars and then moving on to bigger events in the Texas area, then eventually getting some well-deserved national exposure. You really get a sense he knows exactly who he is and what he wants from himself and his music. The excitement is still there in everything he does. Some artists struggle with what paths to take, but maybe what's necessary for one isn't necessary for the other. People are different as are their processes for going about their songs. Even after all the gigs and miles there's still absolutely no signs of fatigue.
This man has always been very full of energy and it resonates with his large fan base during live gigs and concerts. He knows how to put on a show and now he has a whole new batch of material to work into his routine.

About The Songs:

"Footsteps Of Our Fathers" opens up the album on such a positive, uplifting note - perfect for a new Pat Green release. It really sets the tone for the whole 10 track collection. For the people who are already Pat Green fans they'll get a sense of "It's good to have him back," where people listening for the first time will hopefully realize they are in for a nice musical treat. With each generation we all hope that we've made strides toward becoming better people and have that passed down to our children. All while remembering family members from the past.
A clever way to state what some of your thoughts are on matters is found in "What I'm For." Pat sings about a few of the things he supports, only to come out with the constant theme with the following lyrics: "You don't have to guess what I'm against, if you know what I'm for." It's not even close to being political either, but takes on more of a hopeful tone in some ways. Because of the neat perspective, I must mention the song was written by Allen Shamblin and Marc Beeson.

If you're looking for a song that signals a classic Pat Green sound, "Feeling Pretty Good Tonight" fills the bill. The guy might not be a perfect person (living his life one drink at a time), but at least he is able to recognize the woman who has taken a chance on him. He knows there's always a chance she could change her mind, but for right now he's feeling fine. The song is upbeat and makes you want to stick the album in the player and go for a drive. The same can also be said for "Lucky." Pat's always good for those types of songs.

"Country Star" and "In It For The Money" could compliment each other, given your take on the lyrics. "Country Star" could be taken in a few different ways. It's truthful in that the "unknowns" look up to the current crop of famous country music artists and want to be just like them, so they head to Nashville thinking it's easy, only to find out otherwise. But then you can also say it's very tongue-in-cheek, poking fun at a few of those big-named artists (such as Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Carrie Underwood, Brooks & Dunn,Faith Hill,Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney). Many artists are only "In It For The Money" - "It" meaning the music business or various other parts of life. A fact that's sad but true. It might be human nature for some to do whatever it takes to get the money and fame, but chances are you won't be truly happy unless you're passionate about what you're doing. How can you be an artist who expects to be in it for the long haul, if the sincerity isn't there in the first place. Something to think about, no matter who you are.

After the inclusion of a re-recording of the popular Pat Green song "Carry On," there is "In The Middle Of The Night." When you are through listening the first time, you just might be prompted to play it again. With this story song, there is a lot to take in for such a low-key overall sound. It takes a specially crafted song to have such an impact on the listener without overdoing the production. Not too many musicians realize that low-key isn't a bad way of doing things sometimes. A check of the songwriters list reveals that not only did Pat Green co-write the track, but Chuck Cannon and Lari White also had a hand in it. It's a strong close to the album and that's what I like.

Release date: January 27, 2009 - BNA Nashville

What I'm For Song List:

1. Footsteps Of Our Fathers
2. What I'm For
3. Feeling Pretty Good Tonight
4. Lucky
5. In This World
6. Country Star
7. Let Me
8. In It For The Money
9. Carry On
10. In The Middle Of The Night